Parshas Yisro 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Feb 14
- 2 min read
והזהרתה אתהם את החקים ואת התורת והודעת להם את הדרך ילכו בה ואת המעשה אשר יעשון ... (יט-כ)
Yisro advised Moshe to establish a more efficient judiciary system, having a succession of judges working under his supervision with Moshe being above them all, teaching them all they need to know. What is this “Derech” the Torah refers to?
The Chofetz Chaim zt”l in his introduction to his Sefer Ahavas Chesed, says that it alludes to a derech of chessed. There’s a 'ה' הידיעה in the word הדרך because it is the first road paved for us by the first of our forefathers, Avraham Avinu.
Perhaps we can add the following added thoughts. On the posuk in Lech Lecha, "ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך", Rashi quotes the famous words of Chazal: "ואעשך לגוי גדול זה שאומרים אלקי אברהם, ואברכך זה שאומרים אלקי יצחק, ואגדלה שמך זה שאומרים אלקי יעקב. יכול יהיו חותמין בכלן, תלמוד לומר והיה ברכה, בך חותמין ולא בהם". We mention all the Avos in the first beracha of Shemona Esrei, but we close only with "מגן אברהם". The Zaida zt”l would quote from commentaries that this chasima refers to the chasima of the Yamim Noraim. During the High Holidays, we do teshuva out of yirah - Fear of Hashem. But that isn’t the ideal teshuva. It is by far more preferable to repent completely out of ahava - a love for Hashem. Consequently, one would have thought that his fate is sealed with the middah of Yitzchak Avinu, which is yirah -"ת"ל והיה ברכה, בך חותמין" - the chasima is complete on Hoshana Rabba, after Sukkos. Through our "זמן שמחתינו" we have surely achieved a teshuva מאהבה.
Similar, but following a different “derech”, some say this Chazal refers to our geulos, our redemptions. Thus, "יכול יהיו חותמין" - one may think that the geulos will be the result of tefillah or other forms of avoda,"ת"ל והיה ברכה, בך חותמין" - the geula will come when we follow Avraham Avinu’s ways of doing chessed and being kind to one another. The Gemara teaches us "עולם חסד יבנה" - the Torah begins with chessed and closes with chessed. This teaches us how critical it is to do our utmost to perpetuate Avraham Avinu’s legacy. And with that ideal, we will בעזה"ית hasten the ultimate geula בקרוב.